[3] The violence erupted during a protest organized by Hezbollah and its allies against Tarek Bitar, the lead judge probing the 2020 explosion in the city's port, as they accuse him of being partisan.

[4] The clashes took place at the Justice Palace, located in Eastern Beirut along the former civil war front line between the Christian and Muslim Shiite areas.

[9] Various foreign countries intervened in the civil war, most prominently Israel and Syria, further muddling allegiances and worsening violent factionalism.

[10] Following the civil war, armed groups like the Lebanese Forces, Amal, and Hezbollah transformed into political parties, yet continued to field paramilitary wings.

[12] In the 2000s, Lebanon's political scene divided into two main blocs which formed in accordance to parties' stance regarding Syria's influence on the country.

[15] The leaders of both the Amal Movement and Hezbollah, Nabih Berri and Hassan Nasrallah, have called for an end to the investigation into the explosion by Tarek Bitar, as they accuse him of being partisan.

[24] Fighting consequently erupted in Beirut, as Hezbollah militants shot assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, including at the buildings where the snipers were allegedly located.

[24] Samir Geagea was summoned by military intelligence to testify about the events, as both Hezbollah and the Amal Movement accused his party of instigating the violence.

[33] Geagea denied these allegations, asserting that his supporters acted in self-defense against an attack by Hezbollah loyalists who had vandalized property in the area.

[35] On 4 August 2023, protesters in Beirut marked the third anniversary of the massive non-nuclear explosion, demanding justice for over 220 people killed and 6,500 injured.

"[37][30] Cars with mounted guns and flags of the Shia Amal and Hezbollah were driving throughout the Beqaa valley in an apparent show of strength for the two movements.